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A former Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School board candidate was recently arrested in Sarasota, Florida, in connection with two bank robberies.
In a July 25 news release, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Christopher A. Borchardt, 25, of Sarasota.
The release explained Borchardt was arrested in connection with two bank robberies, one occurring June 20 and the other on July 18, at USF Credit Union in Sarasota.
It was only in the April 1 election of this past year that Borchardt sought a seat on the seven-member BBCHS school board. He was one of three unsuccessful candidates.
He also had worked in the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office as its community service coordinator.
Contacted Sunday, Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe was thankful no one was hurt in these incidents, but was “saddened to see this.”
“He has been through hell and back over the past few years, things few of us could survive,” he wrote in a text message. “And through this I hope he finds rehabilitation alongside accountability.”
Borchardt served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Saudi Arabia for a time. Rowe noted Borchardt left his position in the state’s attorney’s office about two years ago.
Regarding the Florida arrest, police said about noon June 20, a man entered the credit union and demanded money from a teller. He then left the location and fled.
No one was injured and an undisclosed amount of money was taken.
About one month later, on July 18, a man entered the location – resembling the prior robbery suspect – and demanded money from a teller.
He then left the location and fled. Again, no one was injured and an undisclosed amount of money was taken.
Through further investigation, Borchardt of Sarasota, was identified as a person of interest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant for the residence, according to Fox 13 News in Tampa Bay.
Borchardt was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery.
The sheriff’s department, the FBI and other Florida law enforcement groups participated in the investigation. The investigation is ongoing.